The present invention relates to a code division multiple access(CDMA) system; and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus capable of automatically measuring certain parameter data relating to wireless network environments for call testing.
In a telecommunications system such as a CDMA system, there is utilized a performance evaluation equipment to evaluate the performance of a base station or for call testing in the system. For the performance evaluation, the equipment is provided with one or more call testers which are installed at a fixed place or in a movable object, e.g., automobile. By using such a call tester, it is possible to measure various parameter data relating to wireless network environments within a service coverage of a base station. The measured parameter data is then sent to a server of the equipment for the performance evaluation.
Specifically, when there is a request from the tester server to obtain parameter data needed for the performance evaluation, the call tester starts to measure the parameter data through a mobile station(or handset) associated therewith under the control of the tester""s operator. The mobile station used in the call tester has a diagnostic monitor(DM) function, wherein the parameter data is measured in accordance with a test plan program issued at the server. The test plan program, as known in the art, may include data indicating a call mode, a call type, etc. The call mode data is data indicating whether a mobile station used for the data measurement is in a call origination state or a call termination state. The call type data is data indicating whether the mobile station is in an idle state or a call-by-call state. To be more specific, the idle state represents a state wherein there is no call origination in the mobile station which is powered up, while the call-by-call state stands for a state wherein the call origination, termination and stand by are repeated on a preset time duration basis.
The parameter data measured according to the test plan program is collected and parsed in order to obtain sets of measured parameter data under the control of the operator, each set having a different kind of measured parameter data. The measured parameter data may contain information on date, time, network identification(NID), base station ID(BID), active count, frame error rate(FER) and the like.
In short, the date data represents the date on which the parameter data is measured, while the time data represents the time at which the parameter data is measured. The date data and the time data may be obtained from a global positioning system(GPS) module associated with the call tester. And the NID data indicates a network ID and the BID data indicates a base station ID. The active count data represents the number of active pilot signals which correspond to channels which are available for calls and may be detected from a status response message from the mobile station. The FER data stands for a frame error rate.
The sets of measured parameter data so obtained are then stored in a storage device for transmission to the server upon the server""s request thereof. Prior to storing the sets of measured parameter data, they may be decoded by converting them in an appropriate data format. After storing the sets of measured parameter data, when there is a data transmission request from the server, the tester operator controls the tester to transmit the sets of measured parameter data to the server through another mobile station with a data service function using a predefined transmission protocol.
The sets of measured parameter data transmitted from the call tester are received by the server and then stored in a database thereof for use in evaluating the performance of the base station in the equipment.
As explained above, in the conventional call tester, the whole procedure to measure, collect, parse and transmit the parameter data is entirely controlled by the tester""s operator. This prior art call tester, therefore, has a shortcoming that it requires an extra operator and is very inconvenient.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an automatic call test method and apparatus employing a cost-effective and convenient wireless data measurement scheme.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for automatically measuring parameter data relating to wireless network environments within a service coverage of a base station in a code division multiple access(CDMA) system having at least one call tester and a server, which comprises the steps of:
(a) detecting a server""s telephone number from power-on registration data representing a current test state stored in a storage device, wherein the power-on registration data contains information indicating a start, interruption and end of the test in the tester;
(b) attempting, at the call tester, a connection with the server through a mobile station with a data service function using the server""s telephone number;
(c) if there is test plan program data from the server after the connection is made, starting to measure the parameter data using another mobile station with a diagnostic monitor(DM) function on the basis of the test plan program data; and
(d) collecting and parsing the measured parameter data to obtain sets of measured parameter data, each set having a different kind of measured parameter data, and transmitting the sets of measured parameter data to the server using the mobile station with the data service function when there is a data transmission request from the server.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for automatically measuring parameter data relating to wireless network environments within a service coverage of a base station in a code division multiple access (CDMA) system, which comprises:
means for detecting a server""s telephone number from power-on registration data representing a current test state stored in a storage device, wherein the power-on registration data contains information indicating a start, interruption and end of the test in the tester;
means for attempting a connection with the server through a mobile station with a data service function using the server""s telephone number;
means for receiving, if there is test plan program data from the server after the connection is made, the test plan program data and measuring the parameter data using another mobile station with a diagnostic monitor(DM) function based on the test plan program data; and
means for collecting and parsing the measured parameter data to obtain sets of measured parameter data, each set having a different kind of measured data, and transmitting the sets of measured parameter data to the server when there is a data transmission request from the server.